If like me, you find the idea of sitting through a whole 5 to god-knows-how-many seasons of the same show daunting, I have just the list for you. After all, while it’s fun to watch characters progress and grow, sometimes all you might want is a quick but equally as impactful binge. And that’s where miniseries’ come in! Whether you want something to distract you for an evening or a day-long activity, we’ve got your next short term binge covered!
The OA ( IMDb: 7.8/10; Rotten Tomatoes: 84%)
Although seemingly overloaded in its premise – being a combination of mystery, science fiction, supernatural, and fantasy – ‘The OA’ manages to blend drama and thrill seamlessly. The sci-fi series is available in two parts (yes, just two) and follows Prairie, an adopted young woman who resurfaces in her hometown after having been missing for seven years. However, Prairie is very different from who she was when she disappeared. For starters, when she disappeared, Prairie was blind but she can now see. How that’s possible? Well, that’s where the rest of the characters (four very different teenagers and one equally desperate teacher) come in to make up the interesting story.
Unbelievable (IMDb: 8.4/10; Rotten Tomatoes: 98%)
Netflix’s ‘Unbelievable’ is an eight-episode series based on a true story and follows what was written in a 2015 Pulitzer prize-winning article published in a joint project by ProPublica and The Marshall Project. The series is split into two time periods. The first is set in 2008 and follows Marie – a teenager who is charged with lying about having been raped – as she deals with the fallout of her assault and its mishandling while the other sees a pair of detectives’ investigating a serial rapist in 2011.
Collateral (IMDb: 6.8/10; Rotten Tomatoes: 78%)
What do you get when you combine a mysterious murder, politics and spying? Collateral. The thrilling four-part series sees Carey Mulligan, a detective who is in charge of solving the murder of a pizza delivery driver who is shot in a London suburb. Random, right? But, as it turns out, that’s the only thing that is random about the series. Everything – and everyone – is connected somehow and watching Mulligan’s character unravel the plot is both riveting and addictive.
When They See Us (IMDb: 8.9/10; Rotten Tomatoes: 96%)
Another enthralling true story-turned-series is the story of the 1989 Central Park jogger case. The case involves a 28-year-old investment banker who was attacked and raped in the park. Following the attack, five young men from Harlem were wrongfully convicted of the crime. The four-part series explores the lives and families of the five male suspects who were falsely accused then prosecuted on charges related to the rape and assault. It achieved critical acclaim and was nominated for 11 awards at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards.
The Sinner (IMDb: 7.9/10; Rotten Tomatoes: 90%)
If you’ve always wanted to try American Horror Story but have been put off by its many different narratives and seasons, ‘The Sinner’ could be the answer to your thirst for thrillers. Similar to AHS, ‘The Sinner’ is an anthology series that presents different stories and a different set of characters through the seasons – yes, seasons but don’t worry, there are only 3 with each comprising of 8 episodes). The only series regular is Harry Ambrose (played by Bill Pullman), a police detective who investigates crimes committed by unlikeliest of culprits.
*Cover image credits: Netflix
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